Talking toy mechanism



Dec; I5 "19 25. 1,565,723

F. EVANS TALKING TOY MECHANISM Filed March 21, 1923 I F j?- JNVENTOR. new EVANJ. as?

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES FRED EVANS, F SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY,

ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

VOICES INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF DELAV/ARE.

TALKING TOY MECHANISM.

Application filed March 21, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED EvANs,a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, county of Union, and State of New Jersey,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Talking Toy Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sound producing devices, more particularly such asare used in toys, and it is herein intended to devise a sound producing mechanism for use in talking dolls.

One object of this invention is to provide a sound producing device of the class described, which will emit a sound closely simulating the cry of a child, and which at the same time may be cheaply constructed, and rugged enough to withstand the rough usage to which such devices are ordinarily subjected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved sound producing mechanism of the class described, which is provided with means by which the sound emitted may be controlled and its characteristics changed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved sound producing device of the class described, which shall be 30 simple and Gfi GCt/lXG in construction, so arranged that the device will emit a sound closely simulating the cry of a child, and which at the same time shall be capable of enunciating distinct syllables if desired.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of my invention, the figure is a view in side elevation with parts broken away and in cross-section.

lVith reference now to the drawing in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the views thereof, the reference character 1 designates a casing constructed of some light, cheap material such as cardboard, fibre or the like.

lviounted at one end of thi s casing i a off a sound.

Serial No. 626,497.

collapsible member 2 which may conveniently be formed of a hemispherical shape as illustrated, and preferably of a collapsible and resilient material such as rubber.

Positioned within the casing near the end in which the collapsible member is mounted is a head 3 forming with the member 2 an air chamber, one wall of which may be collapsed to expel the air therefrom through an aperture 4 formed in the head 3. This aperture 4 opens into a chamber 5 in which is positioned a reed 6, the reed in turn communicating with a chamber 7, at the lower end of which is provided an orifice 8.

Pivotally mounted on the end of the chamber 7 is a closure or door 9, there being provided a coil spring 10 encircling the pivot and engaging against the end of the chamher and the door in such a way as to hold the door on its seat. Attached to the outer wall of the rubber hemisphere 2 is a rod 11, at the lower end of which is mounted a weight 12, this weight lying below the end of the chamber 7. At a slight distance above the weight, the rod 11 is provided with suitable humps 12 and 13 separated by a depression 14, these humps being positioned to engage the outer edge 15 of the door which extends a slight distance beyond the wall of the chamber It will be understood that devices of this character are to be mounted within the body of a doll in such position that a movement of the body of the doll will cause the device. commercially known as'a. voice, to give lVhen this change in movement has taken place, the parts will be in the position illustrated in the figure of the drawing, that is to say, the hemisphere 2 will be in its distended position with the weight 12 at the upper limit of travel. Upon the movement of the body of the doll to such position, the weight will be disposed so that it is free to descend under the influence of gravity, in its descent drawing in the outer wall of the member 2 so as to collapse the air chamber and expel the air therefrom. The expelled air will pass through the aperture 1 irto th reed chamber 5, thence through the reed 6 into the orifice chamber 7. This chamber will be naturally closed, however, and no sound will be emitted. The down ward movement of the weight, however, will cause the hump 12 to engage the extending portion f the door 10, causing it to clear the orifice, whereupon a quantity of air will be expelled therefrom, thus producing a clear note. i As the weight continues to descend, the hump 12 will ride off the edge of the door, which will then spring back to position, and close the orilice. The second hump 13 is of such length that when the weight has dc scended to its lowermost position, the door will still be held open, the cessation of the air expulsion producing the end of the second syllable.

Vhen the doll is moved to a different position, the voice will now be so disposed that the weight will move under the influence .of gravity so as to distend the collapsible member 2. its stated, the door is held open by hump 13, and air enters to expand the air chamber. To permit air to reach the air chamber more freely there may be included the common construction of providing the head 3 with an additional opening covered by an inwardly-opening lap valve not shown. The humps will ride by the door, which will be preferably made of some material such as a thin sheet of metal which will readily bend to permit the second hump to pass by.

\Vhen the collapsible member is completely distended, it will be held in that position by the weight, which is not free to move downwardly by gravity. On the inward movement of the weight to distend the bellows, air will be drawn into the interior of the collapsible air chamber, but upon this movement the intake of the air will give no sound inasmuch as it will now have a tendency to force the vibrating member from its seat.

It will be seen that l have devised a sound producing mechanism well adapted to attain all of the objects previously set forth. The device may be cheaply constructed and c011- sists of only a few working parts, the expense for assembling being relatively small. Furthermore, the device is of a rugged character and may be repeatedly used without injury or breakage. I have shown the cam rod on which the weight is mounted provided with two humps which cause enun iation of two distinct syllables, as Mama. It is obvious that this cam rod may be designed to provide any syllable or combination of syllables desired without changing the method of operation. I

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having'thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i. A device of the class described co1nprising, in combination, an air chamber provided with a collapsible wall, a weight attached to said wall by a rod, the said rod having a plurality of cam humps of different lengths, sound producing means in communication with the interior of said air chamber and sound controlling means in communication with said producing means, said sound controlling means including an orifice, a door therefor, said door being provided with an extension contacting succcssively with the bumps on said rod whereby the movements of said rod will control the position of said door.

2. A device of the class described having in combination an air chamber provided with a collapsible wall, and a relatively fixed opposing wall whereby when the first wall is collapsed air will be expelled from said air chamber, a. weight on the opposite side of said fixed wall from said collapsible wall, means connecting said collapsible wall with the weight whereby the weight will act by g 'avity to operate the collapsible wall, and a sounding device associated with said air chamber and operated by air forced therethrough by movement of the weight.

A device of the class described having in combination a casing providing an air chamber with a collapsible wall and a relatively fixed wall whereby when the first wall is collapsed air will be expelled from said air chamber, a weight slidable back and forth in the casing on the opposite side of said fixed wall from said collapsible wall, means connecting said collapsible wall with. the weight whereby the weight will act by gravity to operate the collapsible wall, and a sounding device associated with said air chamber and operated by air forced there through by movement of the weight, and means whereby upon movement of the weight the sound from the sounding device is interrupted. V

at. A device of the class described having in combination a casing providing an air chamber with a collapsible wall and a relatively fixed wall whereby when the first wall is collapsed air will be expelled from the said air chamber, a weight slidable in the casing on the opposite side of said tixed wall from the collapsible wall, a rod sliding through the fixed wall and connecting the weight with the collapsible wall whereby the weight will act by gravity to operate the collapsible wall. a sounding device cooperating with said air chamber and operated by air forced past the same upon operation of the collapsible wall, and means associated with said rod for interrupting the sound from the sounding device during one movement of the weight in the casing.

5. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a casing, a head mounted intermediate the ends thereof. a collapsible member mounted in the end of said casing to form an air chamber with said head, a reed chamber in communication with the interior of said air chamber, an orifice chamber in communication with said reed chamber, a spring-held door for said orifice having a portion extending beyond the wall of said orifice chamber and a weight attached to said collapsible member by a cam arm, said cam arm having portions adapted to engage the extension of said closure whereby to "vary the position thereof as said weight collapses said air chamber.

6. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a casing, a hemispherical resilient head positioned in one end thereof, a second head mounted within said casing and adapted to form an air chamber with said hemispherical member, a reed chamber positioned on said last named head in communication with the interior of said air chamber, an orifice chamber in communication with said reed chamber, a springheld closure for said orifice having an extending portion and a weight attached to said hemispherical member by a cam rod, the latter being adapted to engage the extending portion of said closure whereby the collapse of said hemispherical member by said weight will be accompanied by changes in the position of said closure.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

FRED EVANS. 

